Muhammad Ali vs Bruce Lee

[greatlakes6]

No, can't agree with that. The more accomplished boxers have some of the best balance and footwork around. Their punching combinations can be devastating. They are fit, quick, strong and agile. There's nothing limited about a good boxer.

Absolutely correct.

 

[Freak_Zombie]

Now I feel totally cheated, I realise hollywood would exaggerate stuff but I would have thought Bruce Lee's master, Ip Man, could have easily defeated a middle weight (?) boxer from where the general consensus in this thread is going.

 

[greatlakes6]

Lee wouldn't be limited to the upper body of his opponent and Lee's hands and legs easily trump the non grasping fists of the boxer. It's not that these boxers couldn't do any damage but the sport itself is designed to prolong the combat for safety and entertainment's sake. Martial Arts go right to in to disable or kill you as fast and as directly as possible.

Lee would absolutely destroy these guys on that principle alone before you even get to his prodigious strength, speed, reflexes and overall conditioning.

Untrue. Have you ever stood next to one of these heavyweights? I have trained with them, their legs are like tree trunks. They have incredible muscular strength and endurance and train just as hard as MMA guys.

Now, if you want to say Bruce Lee against a middle weight, a welterweight, bantam, fly, then I agree, Lee would be victorious. Sugar Ray Leonard, Tommy Hearns, Marvin Hagler, Hilmer Kenty, Julio Cesar Chavez, no chance. Any of the heavyweights I mentioned previously would prevail.

 

[fosing]

No, can't agree with that. The more accomplished boxers have some of the best balance and footwork around. Their punching combinations can be devastating. They are fit, quick, strong and agile. There's nothing limited about a good boxer.

true. but it all turns to custard when they hit the ground. no amount of footwork nor punching combos can sustain if you take a straight up boxer down to the ground.

 

[Frank]

No, can't agree with that. The more accomplished boxers have some of the best balance and footwork around. Their punching combinations can be devastating. They are fit, quick, strong and agile. There's nothing limited about a good boxer.

Absolutely correct.

They're not even used to being hit down there, it wouldn't be a fair fight really. With their gloves on they might as well have their hands tied up.

With the boxing greats you're placing alot of emphasis on punching power and size which is about all they'd have on Lee. Anything's possible, but I wouldn't expect much from those guys unless they received some kind of martial arts training.

 

[ebor]

This thread is almost as realistic as the Goku vs Superman thread.

Whatza Goku?

 

[greatlakes6]

Since this is all conjecture, the only way to know for sure is to have a match. Since that will never happen, we are left to summize what might have been.

 

[Niltusk]

Whatza Goku?

Apparently just another dude Bruce Lee would kill with his mystical fists.

 

[ebor]

Since this is all conjecture, the only way to know for sure is to have a match. Since that will never happen, we are left to summize what might have been.

More likely to be able to organize a battle royal fight amongst board members to determine who is the best tough guy on a key-board...

Yep more pontificating then punches landed

 

[Frank]

Apparently just another dude Bruce Lee would kill with his mystical fists.

Mystical fists crumpling animation cels = Goku annihilation.

 

[Lejuan]

true. but it all turns to custard when they hit the ground. no amount of footwork nor punching combos can sustain if you take a straight up boxer down to the ground.

Yes, but getting a good boxer on the ground relies on getting them off balance in the first place. I can see Lee managing it, but... Ali was pretty good on his feet.

They're not even used to being hit down there, it wouldn't be a fair fight really. With their gloves on they might as well have their hands tied up.

With the boxing greats you're placing alot of emphasis on punching power and size which is about all they'd have on Lee. Anything's possible, but I wouldn't expect much from those guys unless they received some kind of martial arts training.

I was assuming a gloveless fight, or open fingered mitts It's not his size per se that'd make Ali a difficult opponent for Lee, it'd be the combination of superior reach and solid footwork. Lee would have a hard time getting up close and personal with Ali. And Ali could absorb a lot... not sure how many of Ali's punches Lee could absorb if he managed to land a few.

 

[rushmore223]

I actually studied Gracie Jiu-jitsu for a time (many years ago) and I can tell you that in a fight between a grappler vs. any other fighting style, the grappler wins 99% of the time. Whatever the technique, very few disiplines that I am aware of teach you what to do once your on the ground.

I studied for a few years, but never lasted more than 10 seconds in fight with my teacher, even then he was probably toying with me.

 

[bigbrocha]

I think you guys forgot that Ali fought Superman, that saying Bruce Lee all the way!!!

 

[Frank]

Yes, but getting a good boxer on the ground relies on getting them off balance in the first place. I can see Lee managing it, but... Ali was pretty good on his feet.



I was assuming a gloveless fight, or open fingered mitts It's not his size per se that'd make Ali a difficult opponent for Lee, it'd be the combination of superior reach and solid footwork. Lee would have a hard time getting up close and personal with Ali. And Ali could absorb a lot... not sure how many of Ali's punches Lee could absorb if he managed to land a few.

A gloveless fight would help the boxer out with landed punches but when they're not trained to grab or grapple it's just too much coming at them from angles they're not familiar with.

When a trained martial artist throws a kick, you better know how to correctly counter or you're gonna go down very quickly. Martial artists deflect punches on a routine basis albeit with less power behind them.

As fancy footwork goes, I grant that out of the great heavyweights Ali would have the best shot. Against a quicker and faster Lee I just don't see a chance to get into any kind of rhythm with all the quick disruptive moves directed at those limbs.

I think you guys forgot that Ali fought Superman, that saying Bruce Lee all the way!!!

That guy could do just about anything he wanted and get away with it at the height of his popularity. Boxing hasn't been the same since.

 

[GodzillaSpawn]

In an MMA fight with grappling, Bruce Lee easily. In a boxing match or fist fight....Ali.

 

[thenammagazine]

I love how it's just a fact for you guys that Lee would indisputably win. *shrugs* It'd probably be a neat topic for one of those shows that calculates the odds of ninjas vs samurai or Italian vs Russian mafia (forget the name) as at least they'd go into ratios instead of a straight up or down vote.

Because pure boxers are winning every MMA belt in existence!
~sarcasm

love lee but he was an actor, never tried and tested...... ali was, even in an mma match cant see how lee would have a hope in trying to get ali down, this was before the technical approach of gracie ju jitsu, being able to perform an armbar in demos aint the same as getting a guy much bigger and stronger down and positioned, on the feet hes dead.

I think you guys forgot that Ali fought Superman, that saying Bruce Lee all the way!!!

Even you might be able to beat Superman if he was put on a planet that took away ALL of his powers.

 

[IronLungs31]

Bruce wins this with one hand tied behind his back.

 

[shells075]

Bruce wins this with one hand tied behind his back.

Bruce wins while doing one finger push ups and explaining to Ali how he should ' become like water my friend'.

 

[Snake Plissken]

If Bruce was alive and in his prime, he would be wiping the floor with everyone in UFC. Even the heavyweights

 

[c2close]

Bruce lee all day everday. Respect for both individuals. Hard to decide but im on bruce. Love them both